


A Well-deserved Break

by craterdweller



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4049485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/craterdweller/pseuds/craterdweller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Giles takes Dawn and Buffy for a short trip to LA</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Well-deserved Break

Giles parked his red BMW convertible in the driveway of the Summer’s home. Joyce had an unexpected business trip and therefore was unavailable to take Dawn to the museum in Los Angeles as planned. He shook his head and wondered and not for the first time how he had let himself be talked into this. He didn’t think the teen even particularly liked him. ‘Well, Rupert old chap’, he thought, ‘you promised, so time to man up.’ He knocked on the door and was greeted by his Slayer who shouted, “Dawn! Giles is here. Why aren’t you ready yet?”

He stepped inside and over three suitcases barely registering that the teen had muttered some reply. “Uh, Buffy? Is Dawn planning on an extended stay at the museum?”

“No, silly. That’s so I can make off with all the best pieces and sell them on Ebay,” Dawn said with an exaggerated eye roll.

“Err, yes. Of course.” The girls shared a giggle at the Watcher’s expense and it was Giles’ turn to roll his eyes. “Ha, bloody ha!” He raised an eyebrow at the suitcase Dawn was holding. “Three suitcases were insufficient, so you needed a fourth?”

“Three? What are you talking about, I just have the one. Those three belong to your precious Slayer.”

Giles blinked.

“You don’t mind if I come, do you Giles? I can share the room with Dawn.”

“You’re not driving my car.”

“Why would I need to drive your car?” Buffy looked perplexed. “I mean, you’re going to be at the museum with us aren’t you?”

“Yes, of course. I just didn’t realize that you,” he trailed off realizing that there was no elegant way out of the hole he was digging.

His Slayer pouted at him for a moment and then burst out laughing. “Smooth Giles. I happen to like museums sometimes. When they’re not for school anyway.”

He smiled at both girls, pleased more than he could say that his Slayer was choosing to spend time with him. “Shall we, ladies?”

“We shall,” they chorused as they each took an arm.

After checking into the hotel, they spent the afternoon at the Natural History Museum. Dawn’s school project was on dinosaurs so they spent the majority of the time in the Dino Hall, but they had time to walk through the other exhibits.

“Do you miss working at the British Museum?”

Buffy had voiced the question so quietly he almost missed it. He took a deep breath. “There are times that I miss it, yes, but I don’t regret coming to California if that’s what you’re asking.”

“But, owning the Magic Box can’t be as challenging. And Willow said you have like multiple degrees and stuff. I can see now why you hated it when you first arrived. Surrounded by a bunch of teens that could barely read.”

After a quick check to make sure Dawn hadn’t wandered off, he led Buffy to a bench in front of the velociraptor exhibit. “Buffy? Are you alright? Why are you asking about the museum now?”

Buffy frowned. “You mean what happened to clue in selfish Buffy?”

“Selfish? Buffy, what?” Giles shook his head. Something was clearly bothering his Slayer. She normally wasn’t this introspective. And true, she could be self-absorbed sometimes, but not more so than others her age, and she had a lot more reasons to sometimes overlook what was going on with her friends.

“Riley and I had a huge fight. He said that I never thought about anyone else. That I took everyone for granted.”

“Then Riley is a pillock who doesn’t know a thing about you.”

She smiled at his vehement defense. “Are you ever going to tell me what a pillock is?”

Giles laughed and pulled her into a gentle hug, “No.”  He considered his next words carefully, as his Slayer was a bit fragile at the moment. “Buffy, you are one of the bravest, most selfless young women I’ve ever known. And yes, at times, you can be a bit thoughtless, but so can we all. Riley likely didn’t mean the things that he said, but that’s something that you have to decide for yourself. Couples will fight, even the best matched ones. Even the best relationships require work to get over the rough spots.”

“Like the way we do?”

He blinked as his Slayer surprised him once again. “Yes, exactly. Buffy you amaze me. That you’ve found it in your heart to forgive me at all,” he shook his head and tried to tamp down his emotions, “well, I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t kicked me all the way back to England.”

“Giles, no. If anyone should be thankful its me. God, I almost blew it last year when I started college. But after the way I treated you, I couldn’t have blamed you. God, I can be such a bitca sometimes.”

“Yeah we know Buffy,” Dawn said as she bounded over. “Giles, can we go to In & Out Burger? Please, pretty please?” She tugged on his hand and dragged him up.

“Of all the places to eat in LA, and you want a hamburger?”

“Not just a hamburger, Giles, an In & Out Burger.”

“Oh, my mistake. Yes, of course,” he said with more than a little sarcasm. The two sisters merely rolled their eyes at him and continued to pull him towards the car. They were both smiling and he supposed tomorrow they’d drag him on some hideous shopping expedition, but if it could bring a little fun to his Slayer than it would be well worth it. He knew he should talk to Buffy about things they glossed over and moved on from, but not this weekend. It could wait until they got back to Sunnydale. This weekend he’d do everything in his power to give his Slayer a well deserved vacation.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Canon/almost Canon: Your characters on vacation or a day trip


End file.
